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The Family Smoking Prevention & Tobacco Control Act of 2009

U.S. Congress passed The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 as a way to regulate tobacco use, especially with children, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA, under the act, set up a fee system for tobacco companies to fund its implementation of the other regulations.

  1. Packages

    • Companies need to place larger, more prominent labels on packages for cigarettes and other tobacco products, under the act. Tobacco companies also cannot use certain terms to label their products, such as "light" or "mild," without FDA approval.

    Ingredients

    • Tobacco companies must disclose all the ingredients in their products, as well as any research information related to health effects of cigarettes and nicotine. Manufacturers also need to alert the FDA to any changes to their products.

    Marketing

    • Tobacco companies need to disclose to the FDA any documentation with information from marketing research. Businesses also may not market tobacco products as having lower risks than other tobacco products except for those that the FDA says can benefit public health.

    Inspections

    • Tobacco companies need to register with the U.S. secretary of health and undergo inspections once every two years.

    Reviews

    • The FDA must review all tobacco products before companies market them. Products can surpass this if companies can prove they are similar to products approved before Feb. 15, 2007.

    Programs

    • The act led the FDA to create the Center for Tobacco Products, as well as a Tobacco Product Scientific Advisory Committee to study menthol's effects in cigarettes.

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